English

English 9 is a course designed to explore various literary genres. The course includes a study of the short story, novel, mythology, epic tale, drama, non-fiction, and research skills. Titles explored may include The Odyssey, Romeo and Juliet, and To Kill a Mockingbird. In addition, speaking and listening skills are emphasized. Writing units will also be incorporated in each area of study, with an emphasis on developing meaningful ways for students to respond to literature. English 9 provides a foundation for all students to develop in the language arts and be successful in high school. All course curriculum has been developed in alignment with the Common Core Standards. Teacher approval is required to enroll in this course.

English 9 Enriched is a course designed to prepare the motivated Wausau West ELA freshman student for a demanding chosen curriculum pathway across the spectrum of courses offered here at Wausau West. Emphasis will be placed on teaching and fostering critical thinking and analytical skills. The curriculum will enhance instruction in traditional high school canon (The Odyssey, Romeo and Juliet, and To Kill a Mockingbird), with modern companion pieces in poetry, prose fiction and nonfiction designed to stimulate connection, reflection and engagement. Students will critically analyze complex literature through reading, discussion, and argumentative writing that reflects the complex relationship between text and the world around them. Formal public speaking, small group discussions, and rhetorical analysis round out the graded experiences for this course. Students taking on the challenge of English 9 Enriched should be prepared to actively participate in their educational opportunities to foster the investigative experience fostered in this course. Teacher approval is required to enroll in this course.

English 10 is designed to examine historical periods throughout American Literature and prepare tenth grade students for junior/senior level course work and college readiness. The class includes a study of the short story, novel, drama, poetry, non- fiction, and oral communication skills. Expository, research-based and narrative writing units as well as literary analysis will be incorporated into the course. English 10 requires critical thinking and employs student assessments that authenticate learning through a variety of student products. English 10 includes grammar, usage sentence structure, and other language skill components. Teacher approval is required to enroll in this course.

English 10 Enriched is a course designed to prepare the motivated Wausau West ELA sophomore student for a demanding chosen curriculum pathway across the spectrum of courses offered here at Wausau West. The curriculum is designed to examine historical periods throughout American Literature at a high intellectual level and give tenth grade students who are gifted in English a more rigorous and challenging coursework while also preparing them for advanced junior/senior level courses and college readiness. The class includes a study of the short story, novel, drama, poetry, non-fiction, and oral communication skills. Expository, research-based and literary analysis will be incorporated into the course. English 10 Enriched requires higher level critical thinking, analysis, and questioning. Student assessments will consist of intense discussions, complex essays, and other higher-level projects. English 10 Enriched will move at a faster and more rigorous pace while diving deeper and more analytically into the core texts as well as various supplemental texts. Teacher approval is required to enroll in this course.

Literature Courses

This course is designed for students who have an interest in film analysis.  Throughout the course, students will apply critical analysis to film by identifying literary, dramatic and cinematic elements.   Oral and written exercises will expand students' understanding of film analysis, film review, scriptwriting, storyboarding and genre studies.   Through comparison and contrast activities, students will examine a novel's elements and its adaptation to film.   Course elements will emphasize reading, writing and speaking to refine students' language and writing competence.

This course is designed to acquaint the student with a wide variety of fiction and non-fiction literature including poetry, short stories and novels.  The focus will be on reading for enjoyment.  It is flexible enough to accommodate the good reader as well as the average or below-average reader.

This course is designed to introduce the student to the novel as an art form. Graphic Novels will be the primary focus of the coursework.  Students will be expected to be involved in elements of the English Language Arts classroom including reading, writing, speaking and listening. There will be a strong emphasis on graphic novel techniques, language, and vocabulary, with a focus on analyzing illustrations, captions, and themes.

This course is designed to explore elements of culture, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation and diversity.  Cultural groups studied include African Americans, Asian Americans, Native Americans, Latino Americans, and the LGBTQ+ community.  Students will read contemporary poems, novels, and short stories, and writing assignments will relate to the literature studied.  Because readings are contemporary, students who enjoy discussions that are relevant to their modern world will find interest in this class.  This class also will provide a beneficial foundation for those students planning to attend college or take Advanced Placement Literature.

This course will trace the development of England's literature from the Anglo-Saxon Period through the 19th century, concentrating on such authors as Chaucer and Shakespeare.  The main goals of the course are to develop the ability to understand, appreciate, and critically analyze the literature of our language’s British heritage.  Composition will be closely related to students' reading.  Those who enjoy reading literature and who are planning to attend college or take Advanced Placement Literature should find this course valuable.

This course will survey the literature and philosophy of many world cultures, including a study of author, time period, and literary movements.  Students will read and discuss epics, poetry, prose, drama and an independent novel from around the world.  An important goal of this class is to discover the enduring human values which unite the different literary traditions of all times, places, and cultures.  This class will provide a beneficial foundation for those students planning to attend college or take Advancement Placement Literature.

The Advanced Placement course in Literature Composition concentrates on fast-paced, in-depth study of great literary works.  Novels, drama and poetry from various time periods and cultures will be discussed.  A careful critical reading of these works, including an analysis of their literary elements and the author's techniques is a major focus of the course.  Through such study, the students will sharpen their awareness of literary devices, the author's craft and cultural connections.  Major attention will also be given to the writing of critical essays in the analysis and comparison of these works in regard to genre, language, style, structure, form and theme.

It is suggested that students taking this course should have completed Advanced Composition and should have taken at least one of the following two literature courses: British Literature and/or World Literature.  This second semester course is available to seniors only.

Note: Many colleges may grant up to six semester credits for successful completion of the Advanced Placement Literature and Composition Test administered by the College Board in May each year.

Composition Courses

This hybrid, project-based, hands-on course explores careers in broadcasting and news media. The class will meet in-person two days a week for lectures and production, with the other two days reserved as open lab time for optional one-on-one help and collaboration; however, students are expected to complete major assignments remotely online, and attendance at open lab times may be required at the instructor’s discretion for those not staying on track with course expectations. Students will learn the ins and outs of news broadcasting, covering topics such as journalistic ethics, critical literacy skills, and understanding audience and purpose in media, in addition to cinematography, immersive audio, and various media formats. Throughout the semester, students will complete four choice projects showcasing their mastery of these skills, and will collaborate on the production of a news show, Warrior Wrap-Up, designed by students for students. Students may take this course more than once, though composition credit is only awarded for the first complete semester, with any additional semester earning elective credit.

This course is designed to give students knowledge and experience in various types of oral communication.   The speeches included are impromptu, group discussion, informative, demonstrations, persuasive, and special occasions. The communication process will be studied: verbal and nonverbal strategies, along with how perception influences the process. The students will learn academic argumentative format as well as how logical fallacies impact an argument.  Outline format, organization, research, and presentation skills will also be stressed.

Introductory Creative Writing serves as an introduction to some of the major concepts of fiction writing. This class is writing-heavy, providing students with opportunities to strengthen their craft while tackling challenging skillsets in an accessible way.  Students need a sense of creativity, but we provide the skillsets.  Students will compose major papers over the course of the semester, as well as complete daily assignments related to improving the planning and organizing of a piece of writing. Writing instruction and technical skills such as verb tense paragraphing, dialogue and punctuation will take place within each unit.

Composition is a non-fiction, academic writing course based on experience, opinion, and information. Student writing ranges from informal reflective writing (personal thoughts and feelings) to more formal academic papers and essays.  Essay assignments may include, but are not limited to, opinion, definition/illustration, analysis, research, comparison/contrast and argumentative writing.  Attention will be given to sentence structure, paragraph development, grammar, vocabulary, and spelling.

This class meets the composition requirement for graduation.  Expository writing skills will be developed with the goal of becoming a stronger communicator in the 21^st Century.  Sentence Structure, Thesis Development, Fluency, Paragraph Organization, Validating Sources and Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling will lead to development of quality 5 paragraph essay writing.  Informative and Persuasive papers will be the expected assignments for this class.

Real World Writing is a course that emphasizes expository composition skills.  It reviews and strengthens the writing process, assists students in creating writing samples in sequential levels of difficulty, helps students to recognize the foundation of good composition and develops students’ confidence in their own writing abilities.

This advanced course is designed for juniors and seniors seriously interested in writing.  Like Introductory Creative Writing, it emphasizes creative rather than research skills.  However, Creative Writing is less structured.  Generally, students are free to develop what they do best; at times, all class members are required to do the same assignment.  Emphasis is given to the importance of an audience.  Therefore, students will be involved in sharing, reading, and offering constructive criticism.  Students will conference with instructor for individualized instruction throughout the semester.

This college prep writing course will focus on argumentative composition above and beyond the 5 paragraph essay.  Students will expand their writing repertoire by completing investigative, problem-solution, oppositional viewpoint and critical analysis essays.  Follow-up seminar presentations will highlight argumentative efforts explored in the class.  Author’s attention to organization, style, voice, word choice and conventions are stressed throughout.  The course demands a high level of rigor that one would expect from a college prep course including AP writing experiences for all disciplines.